Feb. 14, 2004
Box Score
Portland, OR - The Saint Mary's women's basketball team dropped their second consecutive road game with a 76-57 loss to Portland on Saturday night at the Chiles Center in Portland, OR. The Gaels shot 69 percent in the first half, but shot 17 percent in the second half leading to the loss. Saint Mary's falls to 5-5 in West Coast Conference action and 13-11 overall, while the Pilots improved to 6-5 in conference play and 11-13 overall.
In the first half, the Gaels shot 69 percent from the floor on 18-26 shooting, including 3-for-3 from 3-point range, but in the second half, the Gaels shot 17 percent on 6-of-34 shooting from the floor and 1-of-8 from 3-point range. The loss is also the second consecutive game in which the Gaels have allowed their opponents to score over 68 points. Saint Mary's came into the week allowing 58 points per game.
The defeat also drops the Gaels into fifth place in the WCC standings and gives them a 4-7 road record and a 1-3 conference road record. Saint Mary's split the season series with the Pilots.
In the game the Gaels were led by Monica Mertle, who had 14 points, Evynn Van Burger and Eghosa Obaiza each had nine points, Savannah Williams added eight points, Serena Benavente had six points and Lauren Shaughnessy added four points. Obaiza led the Gaels with eight rebounds and Van Burger had six rebounds.
To start the second half, the Pilots opened up a 45-43 lead with 14:01 left in the second half. After a hot start by the Gaels in the first half, Saint Mary's opened the second half shooting 1-for-10 from the field over the first eight minutes of action.
The Pilots took a 52-46 lead after back-to-back baskets to give them a 52-46 lead with 9:46 left in the game. Portland opened up a 61-50 lead after six unanswered points in two minutes with 6:24 left in the game.
The Gaels opened the game with an 8-2 run after a Mertle jump shot with 17:15 left in the first half. Portland answered with a 12-6 run to take a 16-14 lead with 13:21 remaining in the first half, forcing the Gaels to take a timeout.
After the Pilots took a 26-20 lead with 9:15 left in the first half, the Gaels went on a 11-2 run to take a 31-28 lead after a Van Burger layup with 5:03 left in the half. After a Mertle 3-pointer with 3:18 left in the first half, the Gaels took a 36-30 lead.
Saint Mary's carried a 41-35 lead with just over a minute left in the half after a Benavente free throw, but Portland's Jamie Medley hit a 3-pointer off the glass at the end of the first half to cut the Gaels' lead to 41-38.
In the first half the Gaels were led by Mertle, who had nine points, Williams and Benavente had six points and Van Burger had five points. Saint Mary's played one of its better first halves of the year, shooting 69 percent from the field and scoring 41 points. In the Gaels last game against Gonzaga, Saint Mary's scored 45 points in the game.
Saint Mary's returns to action on Thursday, February 19, when it travels to San Francisco to take on the Dons at 7:05 p.m. from War Memorial Gym.
